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Hi ladies,
With apologies to our non-U.K. members, I have to bring up that seasonal tradition in the U.K. of pantomime, that strange British pastime where men dress as women and women dress as men, don’t ask me to explain. Men as dames and women as principal boys, it is a thing that only we could invent. For those not in the U.K. please search on the Internet, it may confuse you more but at least you can see what I mean about the characters.
I wondered if any of you girls had a desire to be in panto, or perhaps this is one of your annual activities. If so which character would you like to be? And as this is CDH we can of course choose the role we want and not be limited to the usual gender stereotypes.
So is it Prince Charming or Widow Twankey for you? For me it is Prince Charming, I am already slapping my thighs in my fishnet tights.
Love,
Tara.
Hi Tara,
I think I’d be a shoe-in – for one of the ugly sisters. I can imagine the cast arguing about who plays this role.
“You should play it”
“No, you should play it”Panto’s are great fun when you are with kids of a certain age.
Marti xxx
Hi Marti
You would definitely not be an ugly sister, the Fairy Godmother is still to be cast, do you fancy it?
Love
Tara x.
Ok Tara, thanks 😉 x
Well, Tara…
Pantomime (or “Panto” for those in the know), originated in Italy in the mid sixteenth century, travelling first through France before it reached English shores. The first story was about two lovers, Harlequin and Columbine, who can’t get together because of a meddling father. Crossdressing is paramount, no doubt, to accentuate the slapstick comedy that gender reversal provokes. The storylines are about good and evil, with lavish costumes and audience participation.
(How am I doing so far?)
Many would recognize the various panto stories, such as: Cinderella, Snow White, Tom the Cat, and King Rat, just to name a few.
Well then! If I had to choose character, it would be The Evil Queen in Snow White. I bet she has tons of fun in her dungeon, not to mention having a decent library of spells and dramatic mayhem! Besides, I love her outfit and high heels!
Such FUN!
Love, Barb 👑
Have you any spare tickets?
I’m eager to view you in your costume.
( oh no you’re not….
OH YES I AM !!)
“ Here’s looking at you “ !I expect all UK CD are fans of PANTO mime.?
( UK speciality- !!!!)
😊How I love Panto and the cheesey jokes,
‘I used to have a job as a pantomime horse, but I quit while I was a head’
Cinderella was told that her photos had been mislaid at the printers,’Some day my prints will come’ She wailed…
I saw Snow White working in a shopping centre. She was the fairest of the mall.
Dame, ‘Sorry I’m late, I’ve been to the optitians and he said I am colour blind’
Buttons, ‘Colour blind?’
Dame, ‘Yes it came as a bolt from the orange’
Dame, ‘I am knickered’
Buttons, ‘ Don’t you mean knackered ?’
Dame, ‘ No, knickered. My breath is coming in short pants.
Dame, ‘Where’s my career going?’
Audience, ‘It’s behind you!’
Angela…😂😂😂 brilliant 🤣🤣🤣
I’m up for an ugly sister, as long as the dress is something big and complicated and involved corsetry.
In my heart, of course, I’d be Cinderella.
Connie
xxxHi Connie,
We will make the ugly sisters as glamorous as possible, the big dress and corsets will be a given.
Love
Tara x.
Cool! As long as it takes an hour and two assistants to get into.
Connie
xxx
There is a magic about panto that isn’t like any other theatre. It is full of innuendo and naughty verse that adults will laugh at and kids won’t understand. It’s very British and you can understand where Carry On films and sit coms like ‘Are you being served’ evolved from.
To sell the Panto the casts are made up of the latest soap stars, faded stars but among them are the real gems who understand how it works. They are usually the least known but can get the audience going. The dames are probably some of the best known characters as they are in all the pantos. There is nothing like a Dame. Dan Leno, Cyril Fletcher, Roy Hudd and , more recent years, Chris Biggins. Julian Clary is possible one of the best with his Double Entndres and always mentions his lovely ‘entrance’.
Over the years Americans have dipped their toes in the panto world. Being popular in the U.K. saw the likes of the ‘Hoff’ and Jerry Springer play Captain Hook along with The Fonz – Henry Winkler, Linda Gray and Pamela Anderson also trod the boards.
Christmas isn’t Christmas without Panto. Where else can you get away with a line like this to an audience of adults and children? The wicked queen, Craig Revel Horward said to buttons, ‘ My Prince Charming, Your balls are getting bigger every year’. Priceless.
!
Hi Angela,
I totally agree with you that Panto is very much part of Christmas and it’s humour a reflection of the British enjoyment of bawdiness that is reflected in the tradition of music hall and carry on films.
I am perhaps lamenting some of the old variety entertainers whose craft came through in pantomime. Was there ever a more glamorous dame than Danny La Rue, not to mention the other old stars of variety who were skilled in art of female impersonation, namely Dick Emery, Stanley Baxter and Larry Grayson. Larry who started his career in music hall as a female impersonator and very good he was too.
I have a great interest in music hall and comedy history, some of the greatest comedic stars have their roots there, I am thinking mainly of Charlie Chaplin and my particular comedy hero Stan Laurel.
Love,
Tara x.
Angela
As the late Kenneth would have said
Infamy, infamy – they’ve all got it in for me
Emily
Hi Tara…
I would definitely be Snow White…I can chose how i wake up each morning…
Sometimes feeling happy, grumpy, bashful……but I must admit, until I get my coffee, mostly sleepy and dopey… haha
Oh yes I am !!!!
Grace x
Hi Tara i could probably play one of the ugly sister’s in Cinderella ,
Hugs Roz X
Hi Roz,
As this is CDH they will be glamorous ugly sisters, something like the Joan Collins look from Dynasty, how do you fancy that?
Love,
Tara x
But would i have to wear the big shoulder pads like they did in Dynasty,
Hugs Roz X
I pulled off a great move for the second year in a row.
Every day from the 1st of Dec to the 24th I have to find new ideas for the “Elf on the Shelf”.
Last year I came up with a plan that it would paint one of my feet with nail varnish (that’s my profile pic). The kids loved it and thought it was hilarious so this year, I did it on both feet.
Now my toes are sporting a coat of deep red nail polish. It was even funnier when my other half told me she had no remover.
This means I get to wander around with painted toenails for a while.
Fantastic.
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